William thompson



WILLIAM THOMPSON, OE NO. 85 LOWER GARDINER STREET, DUB- LIN, IRELAND.

Letters Patent No. 88,823, daad Apr/113, 1869.

IMPBOVMENT IN MACHINE FOR NIIXING TEA.

m schedule famed u m om@ ma. Pawn ima makin; pm of u um@ 'a full and exact description of the said invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and to the figures and letters marked thereon; that is to S915- i My invention consists in constructing a machine, or

apparatus for mixing teas, and other granular sub-A stances, wherein a series of sieves, orv gratings is caused tu travel upward, one upon the other, in an enclosed casingso that the tea, or other substance placed upon the sieves, in being raised up thereby,

falls through the meshes of the O'ne grating, or sieve,

on to the next one below, and so on in succession, whereby the tea, or other substance, will be effectually mixed.

'lhe arrangement of the machine, or apparatus for carrying my invention into practice is capable of being variously modified.A

Figures l and 2, on the accompanying drawing, show respectively a front elevationand a transverse section of one arrangement.

A is a closed cylinder, or drum, having a central shaft, B, lprovided at one end, with a pulley, C, or other suitable gearing, for imparting rotary motion thereto, and running in bearings formed on the frame-work D.

The drum A is provided with an aperture, E, in its circumference, capable of being closed by means of a sliding cover, F, and contains a number of sieves, or gratings, G G, arranged in radial positions, as shown in dotted lines in g. 1.

The sieves are, by preference, arranged to slide in grooves formed in the sides ofthe casing, being introduced through slits in the circumference thereof, which they close, so as to prevent the escape of tea therefrom, and they are held in their places by means of a bolt, or catch', H.

By this arrangement, the sieves-can be readily removed for cleansing, or repairs, or for introducing other sieves, or gratings of a greater or less degree oi' fi'neuess.

The lower part of the drum works inside a box, or receptacle, I, into which the tea is allowed to fall when perfectly mixed, and from which it is lilled into the tea-chests through an aperture, J, closed by a sliding cover. E

The receptacle I, is also provided with a door, K, for'clearing it out, in which door an opening, L, is formed, through which access is gained to the sliding cover of the drum.

For commencing operations with this apparatus, the drum Ais turned till the aperture E is in the position shown at iig. 1, when an attendant, situated on the platform M formed on the aming, when the apparatus is of large dimensions, introduces the tea to be mixed into the drum. The aperture E is then closed, and the drum is caused to revolve slowly, whereby the tea, in ,falling through the meshes, or spaces of one Sieve. on to the-next below, as it is raised by these in passing upward, becomes thoroughly mixed in a comparatively short space of time.

When this has been eected, the drum is turned, so thatthe aperture E is inside the receptacle I, and the tea is allowed to pass into the latter, whence it is then filled into the chests. Figure 3 shows a vertical section of another modi cation of my improved apparatus for mixing teas, and other granular substances.

Inside the closed casing Ais an endless band, B, of leather, or other suitable material, stretched over two polygonal rollers, O, the edges of which band lit closely against the flat sides of the casing.

To this band is fixed a number of sieves, vor-gratings,

the band, by means of-stays, or gusset-pieces, E E,

-the edges of which sieves it as closely as practicable against the surfaces ofthe casing.

A hopper, ll, is xed, or formed on the top of the casing, through which the teas requiring to be mixed are introduced, and an aperture, D, closed by a slide, H, is provided at the bottom, through which the tea passes after having been mixed.

It will be seen, that if rota-ry motion is imparted toV the lower roller, O, by means of a crank-handle, I, or by other means, the series of sieves, or gratings G will travel up on one side of the casing and downv on the other, and the tea, being lifted up thereby, gradually falls through the gratings as they ascend, as in the previous arrangement, and thus becomes eiiectually mixed.

Having now described the nature of my invention, and in what manner the sam' is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that what I claim, is-

Oonstructing apparatus for mixing teas, and other granular substances, in which a series of sieves, or gratings, G, is caused to travel upward, one above the other, inside a casing, A, so that the tea, in being raised up thereby, falls through the meshes, or spaces of the one sieve, or grating, on to the next one below, and so on in Succession, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 9th day of November, 1868` WILLIAM THOMPSON, 85 Lower Gardiner Street, Dublin, Ireland.

Witnesses:

JOHN MORRIS,

51 Eccles Street, Dubbi/n. WM. OAHILL,

6 Kincaid Terrace,

Augh/r/m Street, Dublin. 

